When The Name Alone Makes You Take Notice

Bruno Giacosa.  Maybe you’ve heard of him.  Born in 1929, he left school at age of 15, during World War II to learn the family craft of winemaking from his grandfather Carlo and father Mario, and the rest as they say, is history.  Considered one of the great winemakers of Italy and indeed the world, Bruno became renowned in the 1960s as one of the best producers of Barbaresco (along with Produttori del Barbaresco and Gaja), and in the 1970s (along with Vietti) was responsible for bringing Arneis back from the dead.

In 1982 Bruno purchased the Falleto Vineyard – under which all his cru Barbarescos and Barolos are labeled – and in 1996 purchased portions of the legendary Asili and Rabaja vineyards.

Currently under the leadership of his daughters, Bruna and Marina, and oenologist Dante Scaglione, the wines continue to define and redefine the region of Barbaresco.  To paraphrase wine writer Antonio Galloni, “there is only one Bruno Giacosa.”

So last week, I got a surprise when one of my reps dropped in with the wines of Bruno Giacosa.  Now before you get too excited, I was unlucky in that the big boys weren’t on this particular ride, but hey, any wine from Giacosa puts a smile on my face any day of the week.